What People Are Saying
"My name is Sonny Nguyen and I am also a formerly incarcerated person currently staying at the reentry house. I regained my freedom in December 2019 after serving 24 years. As part of my parole condition I had to at first be housed at a transitional facility in Oakland. The establishment was crowded and dirty. People were constantly playing loud music, smoking, using drugs. To make it worse I had to be quarantined twice because there were covid outbreaks there. The second time, I tested positive. Needless to say, it was a very stressful and high risk environment. I told my parole agent my situation and asked him to let me find another place to stay. I reached out to the BAFC community and they were very supportive. Simon, a BAFC member, even allowed me to stay at his house. Later, the reentry house was open and I moved in there. Being in the reentry house provided me with a safe, stable and peaceful place to stay where I can focus on getting my life back on track. I am very grateful to the BAFC. Knowing that there is a community that cares makes it a lot easier to adjust back into society. It is inspiring to see the positive impact they have in the lives of people coming home and that moves me to join BAFC and help out as well."
— Sonny
"My name is Linda Woo and I spent 15 years in prison. I returned to the San Francisco bay area in October 2019 and I became a member of the Bay Area Freedom Collective when it was founded in 2020. The BAFC has been a life saver for me. The organization enabled me to find much needed resources and, significantly, a full-time job as a software developer. It is incredibly hard to find work as an entry-level software developer, particularly if you have a criminal background, and I am so grateful for this opportunity.
On top of this, I have recently lost my home in San Francisco, and Jessica offered to let me live in the reentry house in Castro Valley without hesitation. This offer is so generous and comes at a time when I need it most. I am so grateful to everyone at BAFC who has been so supportive of me and always there for me when I need them.
I am so grateful to have returned to my community and am so grateful to the people of BAFC for helping me integrate back into society."
— Linda
“My name is Al Fredrick, I am a formerly Incarcerated man who lives in the Reentry house. Shortly after my release from Prison I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. I was going through a desperate period in my life. The transition house I was living in didn't have the support I needed to go through my treatment. So I reached out to BAFC and Jessica to ask if I could stay at the reentry house they run.
Since I have been at the reentry house, I have received nothing but care and support from everyone involved with my story. My housemate and friend and Sonny helped me on several occasions while I was getting terribly sick. Jessica found out I am having a hard time keeping food down and made chicken soup and delivered it to the house for me.
The reentry house is the best resource for me undergoing my type of treatment and the house is located in a tranquil section in the east bay with quiet, friendly and respectful neighbors. Although my chemotherapy is over, I am still going through treatments because now comes the surgery. I am grateful for this community and reentry house. I can never thank this community, Jessica and all of our supporter enough to help me go through this traumatic time in my life and providing this resource to formerly incarcerated people like me.”— Quote Source
- Al